NRL 2023: Matt Burton will fight for his halves spot as the Bulldogs undergo a roster shake-up

No position is safe at the Bulldogs after years of poor results, but Matt Burton is ready to fight to keep his spot in 2024 following revelations the rep star could be shifted.

Canterbury halfback Toby Sexton. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Canterbury star Matt Burton admits he’s fighting to keep his spot in the halves amid speculation he could be in for a positional switch in 2024.

The NSW Origin and Australian representative is desperate to wear the No.6 for the Bulldogs again next season but the club’s tumultuous 2023 season means no one is safe.

A conversation with coach Cameron Ciraldo this week confirmed Burton will need to prove himself across the pre-season if he wants to play five-eighth, but a shift to the centres is also on the cards.

Speaking on Wednesday, the skipper said his preference is to stay in the halves with the ball in his hands.

“I spoke to the coach and he was just talking about the position and that, so I’m just working my backside off to play five-eighth, but whatever is best for the team,” he said.

“I like hands on the ball and directing the team around, that’s the sort of player I want to be, to lead the team around.

“(Ciraldo) spoke about how I’m going at the moment and little effort areas that I need to improve on, so if I can do that I know I’m putting the best foot forward for the team.”

Matt Burton, Reed Mahoney and Toby Sexton are fighting for spots this pre-season. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

COMPETITION FOR SPOTS

Burton’s bombs are one of Canterbury’s biggest attacking weapons and a shift to the edge could blunt his effectiveness.

However, a recruitment blitz has created a puzzle for Ciraldo with nine players added to the side for next season.

Kurt Mann (Knights), Stephen Crichton (Panthers), Blake Taaffe (Rabbitohs), Jaeman Salmon (Panthers), Drew Hutchison (Roosters) and Jake Turpin (Roosters) are among those who will be vying for spots in the spine alongside Burton and co-captain Reed Mahoney.

“It’s only early days and there’s a lot of new faces in the building, so it all comes down to training and how hard the boys are ripping in and how much they want the spots. At the end of the day that’s the coach’s call,” Burton said.

“It’s only best for the team.

“There’s a lot of competitive nature around the building at the moment, there are boys testing each other so I think that’s what we need and that’s where we want to go.”

But personally he knows he needs to get the best out of himself if the Bulldogs are going to show any improvement this year after a miserable 15th place finish.

“I don’t think anything is settled, but I’ll work hard and train my backside off to get that spot,” he said.

“(I just need a) good preseason, the last two years I haven’t had a preseason, I was away overseas on tour and then come back.”

When asked what he needs to work on, Burton said: “Effort areas. There were stages in games last year where I needed to stand up and I didn’t really provide that, so I think if I can work on those that will help my team in a way.”

Penrith’s premiership-winning star Crichton will join the team in January but popped into training this week, while the rest of the side will trickle back into pre-season over the coming month.

LEADERSHIP TIME

It’s been a rough few seasons at the Bulldogs for Burton who came to the club specifically to play five-eighth, where there was no vacancy for the job at Penrith.

Stepping into the captaincy role as the club dealt with poor results, the exit of Trent Barrett, behind the scenes drama and now an overhaul of the roster has been a huge job for the 23-year-old.

Is Matt Burton Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

They won just seven games last season but aside from smart recruitment, he says the only way up is through hard work.

“I knew that was the case accepting that role and I want to be a leader of this side, it’s been tough times and I know there’s a lot of hard work in front of us, but it’s looking good,” he said.

“I’m getting to learn every day in that leadership role, just trying to help the boys as much as I can.

“I know everything is hard and that’s the way it is, you have to turn up here and work hard and that’s the only way to get results, so that’s a big thing we’re working on this year, working hard and doing it for each other.

“If we work hard now this is a great opportunity to set ourselves up for the rest of the season.”